Like Old Times
by sakunade
Summary: Ran's sick with a high fever at the hospital, and as she lays there, she thinks of the old times..(Sucky Summary, I know. Updated with Final Chapter)
1. Hospital Room

Author's Notes: I decided to place "Start in my life" on hiatus, and started with a new story! It's much more than it looks like, and I hope you guys like it. D please read and review! Plus, as always, I'm open to suggestions. Send them in on reviews, or just e-mail me.

**Chapter 1**

She layed there on that hospital bed. Sweat dropped from her brows as she breathed in heavily. Her heart hurted, and her limbs felt numb. Not to mention the hot sensation from her fever. Nobody knew why she turned out this way, but it was without a doubt that Ran was seriously sick.

It all started when Ran and Conan were walking back home from school. It had been raining for a week now. The air was gray and cold. The pavements and streets were filled with water as it continued to fall from the sky. Conan and Ran prayed that it would get nicer soon, actually, that's what they were talking about until...

_She blinked, placing her hand over her head. "..Huh?"_

_"What's wrong Ran-nee-chan?" Conan blinked, looking up with concern._

_She breathed in a bit, and then glanced over to him. 'S-Shinichi..' She then fell towards the ground, her eyelids closing._

_"Ran!"_

She couldn't hear anything. Kogoro, Conan, Eri and Sonoko watched anxiously while the doctor began checking up on her. It took about a few good minutes before the doctor approached the group. He took out a tissue and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"So, how is she?!" Kogoro asked the doctor impatiently.

"Well, all I can say at the moment is that she has a very high fever, and if this little kid didn't call the ambulance in time, then she wouldn't have a chance right now." He sighed. "However..there is a problem. We, We don't know exactly what's wrong with her. I think she's going to have to stay here for a few days, possibly even a week.."

Kogoro clenched his fist, looking the other way with a most painful facial expression. Eri sighed, almost on the verge of tears. Sonoko as well. Conan glanced up at the doctor, and then towards the room where Ran was.

_Ran_....

Meanwhile..

Her eyes would open for a little while, as she clenched the covers of the bed with her hands. The pain was unbearable, and this fever, it was killing her. She continued breathing heavily. The hospital room didn't make her feel any better either. The air was cold due to the Air conditioner, and the curtains were closed. Everything seemed dark to her at the moment. It was like if she had already died and had been plunged into a pit of darkness. The only light that came to her room was from the door that stood adjacently ajar, coming from the hallway where she could hear the doctor explain her condition to her friends and family.

Then, she started thinking about the un-thinkable.

What if the doctor's never find out what's wrong with her? What if..What if she was going to die? A few tears began to stroll down her cheeks. If she was going to die..then that would mean, leaving Shinichi and everyone behind. It especially hurted her knowing that Shinichi wasn't around. If he was, she probably would've felt even better, but he wasn't.

_Shinichi..where are you?_

_.....I wish, it could be like..._

_like old times._

Her eyelids would close once more. Everything was dark, just like the hospital room. But for some odd reason, all she could feel was..nothing. She couldn't feel anything, her body didn't even fell as numb as it used to. In fact, she felt like she was floating. Had she really died and gone to heaven? Or was this just a figment of her hallucinations? She wasn't imagining it. She could slowly hear her heart beat slower, and slower. Perhaps she was dying, and this was a way to reach her final destination. She was so sure about it until she heard someone call for her..

"Ran, hey Ran!"

She blinked. _Did I just.._

"Ran, hey Ran!!"

She wasn't hallucinating, she did hear someone talk to her. But..does that mean that..?

"Ran, stop sleeping, c'mon wake up!"

She glanced up. She rubbed her eyes a bit, before fully opening them. She was shocked to find out that she wasn't in that dark hospital room. Instead, she found herself sitting on a chair. Before she had time to realize it, she was in her classroom. The classroom was quite big, holding as much as 5 rows of desks. The windows were quite huge, the sun penetrating through them. The atmosphere of the classroom was that of happiness, the exact opposite of her hospital room. Perhaps she had landed herself in heaven?

She glanced at the person speaking to her. At first, she couldn't figure out who it was, because the sun was getting in the way. The figure seemed dark, until she rubbed her eyes some more. The image began to become clear.

A masculine figure...

blue eyes...

That smirk on his face...

Shinichi blinked, leaning towards Ran's face. "Oy, Ran are you alright?"

She gasped. "..Whaaat? Wait a second, Shinichi what are you-- what am I--?"

"Did you get enough sleep?" He glanced over at the clock. "I think you can sleep for a few more minutes before the teacher comes in.." He smiled, patting her head. "I'll watch out for you"

But, how could this be? Before she was laying in some hospital bed and now, she's in her classroom! She was most likely hallucinating. Either that..or she was dreaming all about her sickness. All about Conan-kun, and those people...

Was I..really dreaming?

She shook her head. "Eh, it's okay Shinichi..I'm wide-awake now.."

"Oh, okay that's good." He sat on his chair, and then loomed over towards the teacher. "Besides, he's here anyways.." He sighed, and then placed both elbows on his desk, getting ready for yet another boring day of school.

She smiled, as she too, sat down on her chair. She blushed a bit. She had to admit it, hallucination or not, at least she could be near Shinichi again. Even if he was just a figment of her imagination.

_Just like..old times eh?_

She glanced over towards the board, hearing the teacher speak. "Now students, please turn to page 261 in your math textbook.."

She then thought about it, and sweatdropped. _Maybe I'm in hell.._

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A/N: This isn't the end of the story. I'm actually going to see if I can stall it along. Like I said earlier, it's much more than it looks. So hopefully I'll try and update the next chapter sometime soon!


	2. Mouri Detective Agency

Author's Notes: Yay! I'm so glad people like my new story. Now, I don't know exactly how many chapters there'll be yet...I'm still in the thinking process. I'll try and make this story enjoyable.

**Chapter 2**

Once the school bell rang, all the students rushed out of the classroom, escaping the cramped tension of school, and refresh themselves with having to worry about homework, or anything else that dealt with school. All they could care about at the moment, was hanging out with their friends, or their boyfriends/girlfriends. Basically what every teenager would care about.

Except for Mouri Ran at the moment....

She still couldn't understand clearly what happened. First off, she was laying in a hospital room not that long ago with the highest fever, and now, it's like she was wisked away into some other world. Perhaps she was stuck in the subconcious of her own mind? But, why the school? and not at her house? or..

"What're you thinking about Ran?"

She sweatdropped. Shinichi had popped out of nowhere. He blinked, glancing at her. He could tell that something was bugging her, especially since she seemed in such deep thought. He scratched his head, sweatdropping. "What's up with you? You seem diffrent today.."

She looked at him. "Ehh, nothing, nothing at all.." She gave him a fake smile and nodded.

"Liar. Something's wrong with you, tell me."

"I told you it's nothing!" She gave him a glare, as if she was ready to use some of her karate on him. He got the message, and nodded giving up. She sighed, and then walked off. While she did, Shinichi couldn't help but look over as she did.

_Ehh..maybe I should keep an eye on her. _

She continued walking by herself. Seems like Sonoko didn't notice Ran walk off. But then again, she did seem busy talking to the boys from her class. She sighed silently, as she made it to her house. Looking up, she noticed that everything was still there. The sign on the windows, the cafe that was below the agency, all the cars, buildings, the sun shining, the clouds, everything seemed so normal. She didn't know why, but she had this nagging feeling in her heart that this wasn't normal.

Who wouldn't think this situation was normal when you were laying in a hospital bed not just a few moments ago?

She shrugged, and walked up the stairs into the Mouri agency. She stood there, infront of the door. She didn't hear any sounds. The TV, nor her dad snoring from probably being drunk all day.She gulped, placing her hands on the doorknob. She hesistated, afraid to see what was behind the door.

And then, she felt like someone pushed her to open the door, because she certainly didn't feel her own hand do it. To her relief, everything was okay. The TV was still in the same place, her dad was sleeping in his room instead of the table where he would usually indulge himself with alcohol the night before. She smiled, and threw herself on the couch, placing her school briefcase beside the couch's feet. She closed her eyes, but before she could, she noticed something below her.

A red bow-tie.

She blinked, sitting up right, and reaching for it. _Wait a second..this looks..familiar.._

Before she could grasp it in her hands, it disappeared.

"What..?" She took a few minutes thinking about it in her head. She knew she saw that red-bowtie on the floor, but, it disappeared! Things just don't disappear out of nowhere..She would've kept thinking about it, if the door hadn't rang. She glanced towards the door. She began to sweat, now nervous at what was going to happen next. She hesistantly stood up, and walked towards the door.

Her heart began to pound faster, and faster.

The closer she got to the door, the faster her heart would pound.

_W-Why?.._

She stood in-front of the door, the bell rang once more.

_W-What's going..going on?_

Her hand would grasp unto the doorknob.

_Why am I..so afraid to open the door?_

She closed her eyes, as she opened the door. At that very moment, her heart stopped pounding fast.

"Ran, are you alright?"

She opened them, glancing at the person who stood in-front of her. "..Shinichi?!" She sounded like she was surprised, something which took _him _by surprise. He walked closer towards her. "..Ran?" Now he knew something was wrong. She sighed, and closed the door behind him.

"I'm sorry...I was just..um.."

He arched a brow, looking at her with concern. "What? Did you have a bad dream or somethin'?"

She shook. She thought it over. "Yeah! I did..I had a dream that some monster came out of nowhere and wanted to eat me. Yeah..that was it"

_Okay, something's going on with her. Just gotta figure out what it is.._ "Want me to keep you company then?"

She gave him a fake smile, and then nodded. "A-huh." She walked back towards the couch, and sat down sighing loudly. Shinichi took notice of this, and sat down next to her, but made sure not to sit that close to her. As much as he wanted to help her feel better, or find out whatever was bothering her, he still couldn't forget how he felt. _Especially if I get too close.._

She sat there, sitting as still as a statue. Her eyes looked filled with uncertainty and sadness. She clasped her hands together, placing them at her knees. She was sure deep in thought. She didn't even notice Shinichi next to her. At the moment, she felt alone, in her own little universe. The sirens outside, the rustle and bustle of the streets and the people talking...

Where all silenced in her mind.

She jerked a bit. A tear fell from her eyes. Shinichi looked at her. "..Ran?"

She began to sob, biting her lip. She tried so hard to resist crying infront of him, but she couldn't help it. She felt so lonely, as if she was stuck in some world that nobody would understand. She looked over at Shinichi, her eyes still filled with tears.

_S-Shinichi.._

She clenched her fists, biting unto her lip even harder now. Was he fake too? Was this all some weird reality?

He looked at her. Something was definately wrong. "..Ran, what's wrong?"

_Shinichi, Shinichi.._ She sobbed louder, as she wrapped her arms around him as tightly as she could. She couldn't hold it in any longer, she let out her painful sobs. Releasing it as if she didn't, she would break inside. Shinichi's eyes were filled with sadness, as he wrapped his arms around Ran in return. Patting her back as comforting as he could. He hated seeing her cry, he hated seeing her in pain..

"Shh, It's okay Ran.." _I'm here for you.._

She held tighter against him, she didn't want to let go. She felt at the moment that Shinichi was the only thing that felt real to her, in this unknown world. Even if she knew where the shopping mall was, or where her school and home was, even Shinichi's house, this world wasn't her own, it was an unknown world.

As she continued holding unto him, filling the room with her sobs, she thought to herself once more. Why? Why was she here? What purpose does she have here?

_Did I really...Did I really die?_


	3. Distant Memories

**Chapter 3**

This still all seemed strange to her. Was she dead and had gone to some odd far off world? Or was she simply in heaven? Whichever the cause, it caused her a tremendous amount of emotional pain. Even with all the recognizable faces and places, it all seemed distant to her. The only person who didn't seem distant to her at the moment, was him.

_Shinichi.._

She hugged him tighter, her sobs silently stopping. He returned the favor, hugging her as tight as he could, comforting her in anyway that he could. Anything that could help at the moment, made him happy to do. She layed her head on his chest, her fingers wrapping themselves around the edges of his shirt.

_Please tell me..Shinichi. Is this all, real? Is it a dream?_

The sobs came back for another round.

_Is this all a dream?.._

"Ran.." He placed his hands on her shoulders, trying to lift her up to face him. "What's wrong?" His eyes looked into hers, filled with concern.

She didn't know whether to tell him or not, but her instincts told her not to. Even though she wanted to tell him so badly, she just couldn't. "...nothing." She replied, not daring to look up at him. She was afraid to look at his eyes, those eyes that were easy to deduce so many things. He was, after all, a boy with extraordinary reasoning skills. She was afraid that with just a look into her eyes, Shinichi would be able to figure out everything.

He looked at her, and then sighed. He got up, and walked towards the door. "If you need anyone to talk to, just call me, alright? I'll come and help you." Before he walked out of the door, he turned around. "Oh, and Ran.."

She glanced up, rubbing her eyes trying to take away any new traces of tears that fell.

"...I'll always be here for you." With that, he closed the door behind him, and walked away from the Mouri Detective Agency. She was left there alone, to rethink his words in her head. She didn't know whether to continue sobbing, or chase after him and spill everything. About how she was laying in a hospital room with a bad fever, and then all of a sudden she found herself in their classroom.

_But.._

She sat there on the couch, completely frozen. It was at that moment, that she realized..how truely alone she was.

The doctors looked over Ran, writing down a couple of things in their clipboards. The only thing that Conan could do at the moment, was watch. He hated feeling like he couldn't do anything to save her. He'd do anything for her, just as long as she wasn't like _this_. He glanced over his back. Sonoko had a box of tissues with her, talking through her cellphone to her boyfriend, while Eri and Kogoro were discussing things silently to themselves in another corner.

He sighed, walking towards the door that lead to Ran's room. He leaned against the wall, and luckily for him, the door was slightly ajar, so he could hear the conversations that the doctors were having.

"I don't know what's making her act this way doctor.." A nurse would reply, checking over Ran.

"It could be that the fever was so high that it enduced her to go into a coma.." The doctor replied.

"You could be right.." remarked the nurse. "Her fever isn't getting any better either.."

"I hate to say this.." He removed his glasses and cleaned them with a small hankerchief. "But there might not be a chance for her.."

Conan couldn't believe it. _There might..might not be a chance for her...?_ He could feel a heavy burden hovering over his heart. If, she only had a little bit of life left in her, he had wanted to spend it with her as himself, instead of stuck in this damn body. Unfortunately, wishes don't come true so easily. He stumbled to the ground, and looked down on the floor. He sniffled a bit, a few tears falling from his eyes. He quickly wiped them away, as he stood up shakingly, glancing at Ran's somewhat life-less body.

_Ran.._

"Huh?" She looked up. After Shinichi had left, Ran settled herself for a shower, hoping that that would help her calm down. But it was unfortunate. After wearing a comfortable pair of clothes on, she layed on her bed, hugging her pillow tightly to herself as she layed there. Her eyes were now red and puffy from all the crying. Her face was no longer full of happyness, but of sorrow. Some strands of her began to stick to her face, due to the tears. She sniffled a bit, before laying her head on her pillow thinking to herself. _I thought I heard someone call my name.._

"Ran, oy Ran!"

She stood up, and looked towards her door. "..Otou-san?"

"Ran!" Indeed, it was her father. "Did you make dinner yet?"

She sniffled a bit, and then rubbed away all traces of tears and sadness from her face. "N-No, but if you want I can make it now." She walked out of her room, and went straight to the kitchen. She grabbed her apron, and washed her hands before turning back to her father.

He seemed shaky as well. His hair was messy, and his eyes were as red and puffy as hers. "Ran, are you okay? You don't seem so good."

"I should say the same thing to you Otou-san.." She sighed. "Were you drinking again?!"

"Bleh, It's not like I can stop it anyways." He scratched his head, and walked to his desk. "Jeez.." He would remark. Ran sighed, placing all the ingredients she needed to make tonight's dish. And that's when she heard it..

_Ran-nee-chan!_

She dropped the fork to the floor. "What was..?" after picking up the fork, she walked back towards her father. "Otou-san, did you hear anything?"

He blinked. "I didn't hear anything. You're hallucinating."

She sighed, and shrugged walking back to the kitchen. Cleaning the fork, she continued on her task, when she heard it again.

_Ran-nee-chan!_

She turned around. Unlike the first time, this time it was louder, and sadder. _I wasn't hallucinating. I did hear that!_ She looked over her back, and then to her right and to her left. But nothing. There was nobody in the kitchen that could've said that. She walked out of the kitchen, and looked around the hallway. Still nothing that could've said it. Unless her dad was playing some joke on her, but he didn't really sound like a 7 year old to her.

The voice never came back. It was already the evening, and the food was prepared. She helped her father to his plate, and ate together watching the local news. Nothing strange or of the ordinary happened. The news was just..plain. After the evening news, they finished their meal. Kogoro proceeded to go out with his friends for a few drinks, leaving Ran alone once again. She started to pick up the alcohol bottles and cans left by her father in his room, and cleaned the dishes, and sweeped as well as mop the floor.

She was glad that the voice didn't come back to haunt her. She didn't really enjoy much of that kind of stuff. Once she was done with all her chores, she sat down on the couch, and looked outside the window. She placed her arms on the armchair of the couch, leaning her head on it.

_Maybe I'm just thinking too much.._

_...I mean, this can't be some weird world._

_It's probably just my imagination._

_Either that or I'm probably dreaming_

_...but it all seems too real._

Just then, the phone rang. She quickly shook her head, and ran towards the phone. Picking it up, she responded:

"Hello Mouri Detective Agency?"

"Ran, are you feeling better?"

It was Shinichi. She could tell by the tone of his voice that he was still filled with concerned over what happened earlier. She sighed, opening her lips to speak. "I'm fine..."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure." For the first time, a smile appeared on Ran's face. "You don't have to be so concerned over me Shinichi. I'm alright"

Shinichi could surely tell that Ran was doing okay, and then happily sighed. "I'm glad. I was beginning to worry about you over there.."

She shrugged, and sat on the couch. "It's okay. I'm feeling much better now" _Well, somewhat.._

"That's cool." He replied. "Want me to come pick you up for school?"

"No, no it's okay. I'll go to your place and we can walk from there.."

"Alrighty, if you say so." They both paused. Ran's lips were opened to speak once more, but they were stopped.

"Hey Ran..there's umm..something I need to tell you and ugh..I just think you should know that.."

She blinked. "Go on?"

"Well, I was wondering if ...umm.."

_This wasn't helping at all._ She sighed. "It's alright Shinichi"

He blinked. "You're sure?" He blushed on the other side of the phone, and then began to act all nervous. "I mean, well..I've, well..yeah.."

"You can borrow my notebook for class tomorrow if that's what you want."

"Umm, yeah thanks Ran! Hey I gotta go now, but I'll speak to you while we walk to school." He hung up, and then sighed.

Shinichi hit his forehead with his hand, and sweatdropped. _Damnit!_

Ran hanged up the phone, and then placed it on the receiver. She blushed, smiling a bit and walked towards her room. _This isn't so bad..It's just like the old times..._

Like the old times? She pondered to herself. Didn't she always spend time with Shinichi? She blinked, and looked up into her ceiling having laid herself on her bed. Her eyes were filled with so many questions, seeking answers.

_.....What did I mean by that? And why..why do I keep hearing a little kid calling my name? What was with that bow-tie?...It seemed, so familiar.._


	4. The Kudo Residence

**Chapter 4**

The light that came from the windows had signaled the sleeping Ran that morning had come. It was no earlier than 6:30 or so, when she arose from her bed. She yawned, glancing around. She was still here in her room. That night before, she thought that if she had fallen asleep, she would've woken up in the hospital room, surrounded by her father, mother, and Sonoko. But for some reason, there was still this image of a boy stuck in her mind. Like, someone else was waiting for her to awake from her distant dream.

She had a dream about him too. A little boy, wearing a red bowtie, with big framed glasses was walking towards her. The weird thing was, that he was walking very slowly towards her. While Ran just stood there, waving at the little boy to come, gesturing to come quicker. Her thoughts were soon disrupted by the yawn of her father from the other room.

"Hello pretty lady, please join me--" and then he began to snore. Ran sighed, arousing from her bed as she walked into the bathroom, grabbing her school uniform. She made a promise to herself. She vowed to stop thinking about it. Realizing that the more she thought about it, the more it would hurt. She slowly approached the bath-tub, and turned the knob letting the water flow. She watched the bath-tub fill itself up, and while she did, she heard something else:

_H-Hey Ran-nee-chan..!_

_Awh c'mon Conan-kun! We should take a shower together!_

She blinked out of reality once more, venturing into her mind once more. She knew she heard that name before. "Conan-kun?" Her lips would part, and then gazed at herself in the water's reflection. "Argh, don't worry about it..just forget all about it.."

She finished showering minutes later, buttoning her shirt, fixing her blue skirt, combing her long chestnut brown hair as she gazed at herself in the mirror. She slowly hummed to herself, before returning back to her room and began to tie her green sneakers. Once she had finished, she walked into the living room, grabbed her briefcase and walked out. She continued humming to herself, as she walked towards Shinichi's house, which wasn't really the far to begin with.

On her way to his place, she passed the electronics store. There were many tv's on display outside on the windows, while she passed she heard one of it say:

_'Another case solved by 17 year old Kudo Shinichi! This time, the case involved a woman who was jealous about --'_

She stopped, glancing at the tv screen. She sighed, and then smiled to herself. After a few good minutes, she continued on her journey. It didn't take her long to reach his house. The gates, amazingly, were open and she allowed herself to walk up the stairs of the house. She froze, and thus knocked on the door awaiting for Shinichi to open it.

But nobody answered...

_That's weird..maybe I should try again..._

She did, but still nobody answered. She began to worry, and knocked even louder. Maybe he slept in and couldn't hear her knocking on the door? She tried her best not to think so cynical about the matter. But she couldn't help herself to worry. This _was_ Shinichi she was thinking about. Perhaps he got his nose buried in a dangerous case?

She gazed at the door, and then sighed. _Shinichi.._

_I'd hate to do this, but..looks like I'm gonna have to do it. _She closed her eyes, clenched her fists, stood in a pose and then kicked down Shinichi's door as hard as she could with her karate skills. To her amazement, the house was fairly quiet. If she didn't know that Shinichi had lived here, she would've thought that it was a ghost house, judging from it's atmosphere.

"Hello?" She called out, but no answer. She helped herself into the kitchen, but nobody was there. She checked upstairs. The bathroom? nope. His bedroom? nope. She checked every room upstairs, but there was once place that she did not check. Her lips would form an 'Oh' expression, as she ran down the stairs and approached the library which belonged to Shinichi's dad.

_Maybe he stayed up reading those books of his and probably fell asleep while reading ..._

It seemed like the perfect explanation, so many high hopes were in her heart. She opened the doors of the library, and found him there. He was soundly asleep, his head laying on his father's desk. She giggled, approaching him. The closer she got to him, the louder the snores became. She leaned her face to his, and watched him for awhile. She had to admit it, he looked so adorable sleeping there. Like a little baby, almost.

She blushed, as she stretched out her hand to his face. Her fingertips wanting to touch his soft cheeks. When she realized what she was about to do, she was about to retreat, when suddenly Shinichi's hand grabbed hers.

"Got me red-handed, huh?" His lips would form a smirk, his eyelids still closed.

She blushed. Part of her wanted him to hold unto her hand a little longer, but she glanced at the clock and noticed that if they didn't hurry, they'll be late for school. Her lips would open to speak, but before she could, Shinichi broke the silence himself:

"Don't worry about school, we'll take the day off" His eyes slowly opened, those blue eyes gazing up at Ran. He suddenly let go of her hand, as he stood up rubbing his head. He blinked, glancing down at what he was reading before he fell asleep.

"Umm, are you sure we should..?" Ran would ask him, noticing that he was busy placing the books where they rightfully belonged.

"Of course, that's because I tricked you.."

She blinked, arching a brow at him. "What are you.." She then thought about it, and it slowly came to her. "Wait! Don't tell me you made up that we had school today!"

"I thought you would've noticed. It IS saturday after all.."

She blushed, and then looked the other way. How come she didn't know that it was saturday? This was, feeling all too weird. "So, why did you trick me then?"

"So we could spend some time together and.." _maybe I'll find out what's bothering you.._

"And?"

He sighed, and then walked up to her placing his hand on her shoulder. "I'll get you to feel better somehow. Fun is what you need, Ran. Perhaps if we went to the theme park, or to the park, or to watch a movie or something, you'll feel better." He smiled, patting her shoulder. "How about it?"

She thought about it for a second. _Have..fun?_ Seems reasonable. If she went out and spent the day having fun, then maybe she wouldn't dwell on all the negativity at the moment. How she thought about that strange little boy, his name, those voices in her head, or the mere fact that she's supposed to be in a hospital room deathly sick, instead of standing here before Shinichi. She had a nagging feeling that wouldn't go away, hopefully the day will bring about more positivity.

She nodded. "Sure, why not?"


	5. Cherry Blossoms

**Chapter five**

The day was perfect. It seemed like the gods were on Shinichi's side this morning, as the pair walked into the park. Luckily for them, Cherry Blossom season started, and the park was filled with Cherry blossom trees. He glanced over at Ran, whom apparently was too busy gazing at how pretty the trees looked. He smiled, noticing this. _At least for now, she seems to be forgetting all about her troubles..._

Shinichi was dead-on on his deduction. Ran smiled, running up to the trees. They looked so _pretty_. It felt so weird that just the other night, she was worrying her head off about whatever was going on with her at the moment. She was so enraptured by the beauty of the trees, she felt like she was in some distant wonderland. "They're so pretty. Even if I'm used to seeing them during the season, it just amazes me how prettier they get every year.."

"Why don't we take a picture?" he proposed, digging into his jacket, taking out a portable camera. "I brought it just in case" he smirked.

She smiled, and nodded. "Yeah! why don't we take the picture together?"

He nodded, looking for someone who could take the picture for them. He found a woman with a stroller, and asked her if she wouldn't mind. She didn't, and held the camera in position, as they posed underneath the biggest cherry blossom tree there. She smiled, while Shinichi placed his arm around her shoulder, smiling. She blushed, while the woman took the picture.

------------------------------------

"It looks nice doesn't it?" Shinichi would remark, as the two layed down on the grass.

"No! I look _terrible_" Ran said, laying on her side.

"No you don't!" He blushed, laying on his side as well. "I think you look alright."

She smiled, laughing to herself. "Ehh, thanks."

He smirked. "No problem. I'm just glad I could see that smile on your face once more yanno?"

"You don't have to be so worried about me."

"But you seemed so _out_ of it. I couldn't help but worry about you"

She blushed, glancing at him. For that very moment, she had forgotten all about the hospital room, her fever, and landing here. All she thought about, was Shinichi. Of course, it was obvious to her friends how she felt about him, but she wasn't sure how he felt about her. Many of her classmates speculated whether or not they were going out. Every time the guys would bother Shinichi about it, he'd just give them a look and flick them off.

_I don't know if he likes me or not but, I don't want to think about it right now..._

She now found herself feeling upset again. She looked down, taking a flower from its roots and playing around with it. Her fingertips would play with the flower's petals, plucking them out slowly.

"What's wrong?"

She looked up at him, still holding the flower in her hands. "Nothing.."

"I know something's wrong with you." He sat up, those blue eyes of his glancing into hers. "If it's something that you don't want to tell me, it's okay. But, it really hurts watching you suffer."

"Suffer? what're you talking about Shinichi?" she laughed to herself. She didn't want to worry him anyways. But it was useless, seeing as how Shinichi was closer to bringing out her feelings to the surface.

"Don't lie to me you idiot." He leaned towards her face, and continued looking at her. "I can tell. Remember the time I went over to your house and you were crying? that was the first thing that made me believe that something's wrong with you. Also, the way you were acting a few minutes ago, seemed like you were in deep thought about something. It wasn't cheery either, since your facial expressions showed that you were thinking about something that was upsetting you.."

Her body would tremble for a bit, as she looked into his eyes. They were so determined, and filled with ambition.

_He seems to really care about me right now. _

_I'm sorry, Shinichi. I'm sorry that I made you worry. _

_I'm just afraid to tell you.._

_If I do, will you turn away?_

_Will you even believe me?_

_There's so many risks in telling you.._

She closed her eyes, thinking to herself for a while. Shinichi looked on, his hand raised to touch Ran's cheek. "You can trust me, Ran. You know I would always help you no matter what.."

She smiled, a small tear falling from her eyes as she caressed her cheek with his palm. _There's no use in hiding it from you anymore. _But before she could, her body began to felt numb again. Her eyes would shot wide open, as she felt her heart beating faster and faster with every breath she took. She gasped for air, her eyes looking at Shinichi as if she was crying out to help him.

"Shin-shin-shinichi.." her eyelids closed, as she landed on the ground. Shinichi placed his hand on her forehead. She started to burn up.

_Oh crap, she has a high fever! I have to get her somewhere safe..._

He took her in his arms, stood up, and began running towards his house.

_Please be safe, Ran.._

-----------------------------------------

Meanwhile, back in the hospital...

The doctor has now decided to tell Ran's friends and family what her condition was. While the doctor began explaining to them what was going on with her precisely, Conan had managed to sneak into her room. He closed the door behind him, now enveloped by the darkness that concealed her frailty. He looked at her, and still couldn't believe that she was like this. His heart began to fill with worry, worry that she might be lost to him now.

After all, he hasn't even told her how he's felt about her. There were many times in which Conan wanted to yell out to her that Shinichi was there for her. Every time he would see her cry in her sleep, or simply think about him. He walked towards her, the only light that was in the room were the lights from the monitors that were by her bedside. He grabbed a chair, and stood up on it, as he glanced down at her body. Even through all the darkness, a light seemed to emit itself from her.

_She seemed so beautiful. Like sleeping beauty in the flesh._

"Hmm.."

He blinked, as he heard something speak. He glanced down towards Ran, and noticed that she began to move her fingers slowly.

-----------------------------------------

Woo! chapter five, hooray! Seems short doesn't it? It's because I purposely wanted to end it right at when Ran begins to wake up! Haha. I finally got some inspiration to write chapter five. I think I'm going to narrow it down to 7 chapters, because I already have in mind how I want to end this story, and the story has now reached it's rising action. Ran waking up from her coma, well, sorta. But you'll see in the next chapter. I've decided to place "Start in my life" in a terrible hiatus, and finish this story, as well as try and continuing both "Perfect Crime" and "The Early Years of Kudo Shinichi". The only reason why I'm putting "Start in my life" on hiatus is that I still need to figure out how I'm going to write the last chapters. I kinda figured out chapter 21, I just need to find the words to write it.


	6. Fallen

**chapter six**

Conan glanced down, his blue eyes stunned at what he just saw. Ran's fingers began to move slowly by themselves. Was she finally awakening from her coma? He placed his hand on hers, hoping that she would respond back.

_Ran, I know you can wake up for me. Please.._

----------------------------------------------

Meanwhile..

After Ran collapsed in the park, the weather soon changed from sunny, to rain. Once Shinichi arrived at his house, he ran up the stairs and laid Ran on his bed, placing a wet cloth on her forehead hoping that that would at least help her with the fever. He grabbed a chair and placed it by the bedside, as he took her hand in his.

_What was she trying to tell me? did it stress her that much that she got a fever?_

"Shinichi?"

He glanced down and noticed that Ran had woken up.

"Don't try to speak." He suggested, holding her hand tighter. "I think I'm going to have to call the hospital, Ran. You have a high fever, and that wet cloth isn't going to help you as much as I'd hope it would."

"It's okay." she glanced up at him, and smiled. "This is, just like last time.."

_'Ran-nee-Chan, are you okay?'_

_'You have a high fever! I'm going to have to call the hospital and Uncle..'_

_'It seems like there's nothing we could do to help her. We are unaware of the problem..'_

Images began to fast forward themselves into Ran's memories. She began seeing herself walking with a little boy in the rain, then falling to the ground only to find herself in a dark hospital room. The doctors hovering over her, saying that there was nothing they could do. She could hear people from outside her room. A lady with glasses and her hair up in a ponytail, a man, a girl about her age with short blonde hair, and the little boy. The little boy, in particular, seemed like he was going to lose it.

_He seems, so familiar to me._

_That face, have I seen it before?_

_Who is this little boy who keeps haunting my memories?_

She looked at Shinichi. Her blue eyes piercing through his, as if she's trying to find the answers to the questions that plague her memories. "Shi-shi-.." her lips would open to speak once more, only to be interrupted by Shinichi's finger.

"Shh, you need your rest, Ran. It's best if you don't try to talk, okay?" he smiled.

She blinked for a few seconds, and then smiled closing her eyes. "You worry too much, just like _him_.."

_Like him?_

_Where did that come from?_

"Just like him? who are you talking about Ran?" He blinked, glancing down at her once more. _Who is she talking about? what the heck is going on with you, Ran? what are you hiding?_

_'When are you coming back to me, Shinichi?'_

_'He's not here, he's never coming back..'_

_'He hasn't called in three months, I wonder where he is.'_

_'I'm, I'm crying again. Oh Shinichi where are you?'_

Those words plagued Ran's mind, as the fever became worse. Her whole body was feeling hot, as she tossed and turned in his bed. She gripped unto his hand as tightly as she could, how she wished that it could all end now. The pain, not only physically, but mental pain. Struggling to find what exactly was bothering her heart. She'd never felt this kind of sorrow before. It was as if, Shinichi was going to leave her and never come back.

But at the same time, somewhere inside her heart told her that she felt this way before.

_You're not going to leave me, right Shinichi?_

_You're going to stay by my side, right?_

_You'll never leave me?_

_Right?_

_Right?_

She opened her eyes once more looking at Shinichi. Sweat began to run down her face, as her hand would reach to touch his cheek. "Shinichi.."

----------------------------------------

Conan blinked, watching Ran's hand rise to touch his cheek. _R-Ran?_

Her lips would open to speak, and say: "Shinichi.."

He looked down, and took her hand to touch his cheek. He closed his eyes, and spoke: "I'm right here, Ran. I've always been here, watching over you like this. I'm sorry, so sorry I never told you.."

He couldn't bare watching her like this anymore.

"Don't ever leave me again, Shinichi."

Conan nodded. "I'll never leave you again, Ran."

She smiled, her eyelids still closed. "I'm glad.."

At that very moment, Conan heard an awful sound. Glancing at her heart monitor, that sound would forever be pierced into his heart forever..

_Beep._

Her hand fell from his cheek, as he saw that her heart monitor had stopped.

------------------------------------------

Shinichi smiled, holding her hand and placing it on his cheek. He closed his eyes, and spoke to her softly.

"I'm right here, Ran.."

_I've always been here for you._

_What?_ Ran couldn't help but notice, did she just hear two people speak to her at the same time? Once voice was Shinichi's but the other's was that of the little boy. She was confused. Her heart began to beat faster and faster. She looked at Shinichi's face once more, smiling.

"I'm glad.."

She closed her eyes, and felt her body go numb once more, collapsing into his bed.

"Ran..?"

_Did she get knocked out again?_

He quickly placed his hands on her shoulders, and shook her, hoping that would wake her up. "Ran! Ran!"

But she didn't wake up, it was as if she had fallen into a deep sleep.

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And that's the end of chapter 6! Next chapter will be the final chapter of the story! and if people don't understood what was going on, then at the end of the last chapter, I'll explain everything. That is, unless you people already figured it out, heh. The next and final chapter should be up by the end of the week. Oh, and my grammar sucks. XD so I shall try and stalk my BETA readers..or get new ones. -shrug-


	7. The best day in her life

_A/n: Last chapter, hooray! Okay, so there's a part in this chapter where both Shinichi & Conan speak at once. You'll get why later on. Well, anyways the normal font is going to be Conan, and the italic font will be Shinichi. Just to let you know, hehe. and if you still don't understand the concept of the plot, then at the end of this chapter, I'll explain everything. It was something I thought up of after writing chapter 2, so enjoy the last chapter!_

_With that sound, her life was taken away from his grasp._

_He saw her lower her hand almost instantly, falling towards the edge of the bed._

_Her smile faded, just like his._

_The only thing left behind, was a frown._

_As well as a couple of tears..._

**chapter seven**

To the eyes of the people around him, Edogawa Conan felt as lonely as ever at that very moment he heard that sound. But in truth, it was Kudo Shinichi who was suffering the most. As soon as that sound penetrated through the walls, the doctors rushed into her room. A couple of nurses were following them. With them, they carried materials that they normally used to bring back those, or at least, attempt to bring them back. He knew there was no way to bring her back, feeling responsible for her death. If only, if only he didn't tell Ran that morning to come and pick him up from school. She could've stayed home, and she wouldn't had gotten sick. Kogoro, Eri and Sonoko held each other, crying. Mourning for their lost.

And yet, Conan. No, Shinichi couldn't mourn. His heart felt like it exploded from within.

The doctors shook their head, and covered her body slowly with the covers.

-------------------------------------------

"Ran?!"

Shinichi couldn't imagine what had just happened. He quickly placed his fingers on her wrist to check her pulse. Many thoughts began to wander around his mind. Had she died? or was she just knocked out from her fever?. To his surprise, her heart was still beating.

_I don't know what's going on.._

_Why did I fall unconscious again?_

_Was it my fever? no, it's more than that._

_I can hear it.._

She didn't know where the distant sounds came from, but Ran was sure that she could hear people. It wasn't one person, whom she assumed to be Shinichi, but _many_. The voices, yet so familiar to her mind, was unfamiliar to her ears. There was the voice of a man, weeping.

_'Ran! Why did you --- Why?!'_

He was overcome with grief. The next voice was that of a woman..

_'R-Ran honey..'_

Afterwards, a younger girl...

_'Raaaan! Why?! why did you leave us, raaan! uwaah'_

She heard all those voices, except for the one she thought she would hear. That little boy isn't weeping. He wasn't yelling, or stomping. She thought she saw a clear image of that little boy. The closer her mind approached the little boy, the more he seemed to feel familiar.

_W-Wait a second, why am I..? _

_Why am I worried whether or not this little boy isn't mourning?_

_Is my heart trying to tell me something that my mind does not know?_

_Why does he seem so, so. Familiar_

The doctors quickly ushered Kogoro, Eri and Sonoko out of the room, leaving Conan by himself to look over her corpse. Standing there, looking over at her lifeless body, he wished that some miracle would happen. But miracles don't exist, last time he checked. There was _nothing_ he could.

He wasn't able to _save_ her.

He wasn't able to _help_ her.

He wasn't able to remove the _anguish_ that she had suffered, missing _him_ so goddamn much.

Those shoes would find themselves standing on top of that chair by her bedside once more. His little fingers, stretching towards the red bow-tie located at his neck. That 'mask' he wore, those glasses of his, were fogged. He cranked up the voice-changing red bow-tie, placing it so that he could speak to her with _his_ voice. Perhaps hearing his voice once more, she would come back from the grave?

_I'm sorry, Ran._

A small tear would fall from his eyes, landing on her palm.

_I wished this never happened to you._

Finally expressing how he felt.

_I wished, that fate was kinder to you, but it has betrayed you, leaving you like this before me._

How he hated fate.

_But, I must come to terms with, your parting._

He would hate himself if he called it 'her demise' or 'her death'.

_Because, I know deep in my heart, you never really left me at all._

The only thing he could do for her now, was to speak to her from beyond with his voice.

_This is, my last gift to you Ran. To hear my voice. Maybe if I'm lucky, will you come back to me?_

He didn't like feeling this lonely.

_I hate being alone, especially without you, I feel as lonely now, as I've ever been being this way._

"And I'm sorry, for never truly saying goodbye, Ran" His older, much mature voice would speak through that body of a little boy. His voice was a bit shaky.

---------------------------------------

There he was, that little boy again. Ran didn't know what was going on. All those feelings of when she first appeared in that 'world' were coming back to her. What was she, some ghost or something? and if she was, then why? she didn't felt like she actually _died_ a few minutes ago when she was with Shinichi in the park. Or perhaps...

Had she actually died back _there?_

It was all starting to make sense now. That's why she had collapsed earlier, because her body back there gave in. As comforting as she made it sound to be, it wasn't at all. If she had died back there, then does that mean that she'll never wake up over there in that other 'world'?

She looked over at the little boy. He began to speak differently for some reason, and that weird part was that he started sounding like Shinichi!.

_Who. Is this little boy?_

Shinichi glanced down at her body, and sighed. "I think I should call your father, Ran. If this turns into something serious --" he paused, afraid of continuing his sentence. If it did turn into something serious, would he lose her? the thought of merely losing her frightened the young detective.

"Ran, I don't want to lose you.."

-----------------------------------------

"Ran, I don't want to lose you.."

_Ran, I don't want to lose you.._

She blinked. Was it her imagination, or did she just hear that little boy and Shinichi speak at the same time? For some reason, she could see both of her bodies. The one in the hospital with the covers over it, and the one in Shinichi's house.

"I thought, there would ever be a day when I would see you like this.."

_I thought, there would ever be a day when I would see you like this.._

When she heard those two voices join in union, it was safe to assume that there was something very, very, very peculiar about them. That's when she started seeing it. The similarities between them. Their hair, that glint in their eyes, the tone in their voices. Even if the little boy somehow managed to mock Shinichi's voice, she couldn't help but realize, that perhaps maybe..

_Is that little boy, Shinichi?_

"There have been many times, when I was by your side, Ran. I never left it, nor will I do so now."

_"There have been many times, when I was by your side, Ran. I never left it, nor will I do so now."_

There's no other explanation. That little boy and Shinichi, were one.

"Seeing you like this, I know I probably won't have another chance to tell you this.."

_Seeing you like this, I know I probably won't have another chance to tell you this.._

"But, please know this.."

_But, please know this.._

"From the bottom of my heart, Ran.."

Conan jerked a bit, and then softly replied. _From the bottom of my heart, Ran.._

"I love you."

He sighed, another tear would fall from his eye. _I love you.._

There it was again, that _feeling._ The way she felt whenever she thought about Shinichi leaving her. It was unexplainable, but the pain she received in her heart, told her that this was something that she never wants to experience ever again. She felt a thousand needles pierce her heart. Just those words, those simple words, drove her insane.

'Shinichi..' her lips would open, his name escaping from them.

Conan glanced down, and noticed that her fingers began to move slowly once more from underneath the covers. He then glanced towards the heart monitor, as that long line slowly began to move once more. The other good sign, she began to breath again.

--------------------------

"R-Ran?!"

Her body in that other world began to move as well. Her eyes would slowly open, as she gazed at them with such fear. She was afraid, and he could tell. Her body began to shake for a couple of seconds. More sweat dropped from her temple, as she quickly removed it with her wrist.

Shinichi was baffled with what to say. His happiness had overcome his speech.

Ran looked up at him, and blinked. This time, he didn't appear to be older, but _younger_. That face was now hidden because of those huge glasses. She looked down, and noticed that he was standing on-top of a chair. He wasn't wearing what he wore the last time she saw him, but a grade school uniform, as well as that red bow-tie.

"C-Conan-kun?"

"Oh thank goodness Ran-nee-Chan, you're okay!" Conan smiled.

"W-Wait a second Conan-kun, where am I..?"

"You forgot?" he tilted his head, looking at her with interest. "You fainted in the streets! I had to call Uncle to come pick you up. We then took you to the hospital, where the doctors said you had a high fever, and then you went into a coma and--"

"Ehh, that's enough, Conan-kun." She felt like she was just thrown into a washing machine, and she didn't like the experience at all.

"Umm, okay. I'll go get Uncle and inform them that you're okay." He smiled, and then hopped off the chair, running out of her room.

She smiled to herself, watching him go. Most people would think what she just experienced, was probably an illusion due to the coma. In her own mind, however, she felt like she just discovered something _totally _different.

She couldn't get it out of her head either.

That idea that Conan was actually Shinichi. It all seemed to make sense back then, but was it really true? Perhaps her conscience was trying to tell her something, by transporting her to that world? She sighed, looking out towards the windows. She was no longer engulfed in darkness, because the curtains were open, letting the sun shine through.

_Today, in her mind, was the most beautiful day of her life.._

-The End-

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Ta-da! and that's the end to "Like Old Times". I've got to admit, I think most people will think that I ended this story, waaay stupid perhaps? To me, this seemed to be the most reasonable ending. If you're still confused about the whole thing, here I shall explain it to you:

I think, that when one goes into a coma, sometimes your conscience starts telling you things. The fever which Ran received made her vulnerable to be succomed by her conscience, and it started telling her what she had thought over and over in her mind. That Conan was actually Shinichi. She was probably afraid to blurt it out, and that's why her conscience took her out, so that she could understand that, in her heart, she knew she was right. The reason she died, one can say, is to symbolize that she has "turned over a new leaf", that she wanted to admit her feelings to him, and by doing that, a new "life" would occur, get me? Once she confessed her feelings, her life would never be the same, seeing as Conan is Shinichi yadda yadda yadda. At least, that is what I think. Ehh, I think I confused you guys XD ah well, take it the way you want to. this was just from my perspective..


End file.
